Ich und du
by lillithrising
Summary: Amelia drowns in an accident on the sea. Feeling somewhat left behind, Madeline struggles with guilt and a father who won't listen. Can Gilbert save her from herself? Based loosely on the song/music video Louise by Eisblume.
1. Chapter 1

**Kind of a song fic. Kind of not. Either way, it's based loosely on the plot of the song/music video **_**Louise **_**by Eisblume. Note: for the female counterparts, I use the name Amelia for America, Madeline for Canada, and Francine for France. Also, Madeline is pronounced "mad-a-lynn." And yay for fem!France + regular, grumpy England. The world needs more of this pairing.**

Ich und du (me and you): Chapter One

Sie waren verliebt

Und fast noch Kinder

Die Ewigkeit entfernt und doch so nah (1)

A family stood together with their heads held down in silence towards a headstone at a fresh grave. There was a picture of a spunky, smiling young blond with blue eyes. Beneath it, engraved in the stone was the name "Amelia Kirkland." The living twin to the girl, Madeline Kirkland, knelt before the grave.

While they were twins, Madeline had longer, wavier hair that she kept in pigtails. She also wore glasses over her blue-violet eyes. In her hands she held a flower – a yellow rose. The girl nodded solemnly to the picture of her sister, and gently laid the flower on the loose soil.

Francine, the girl's mother, was crying as Madeline got to her feet. You could tell Madeline got her wavy hair from her mother. It was a family joke that Francine was Madeline in twenty years (not really, only Francine thought so).

She shredded the white rose she held in her fingers, the petals falling and scattering all over the ground. Arthur, the father, clenched his jaw, not daring to open his mouth for fear of losing all control.

There was a loud clunk and a sloshing noise. A water pitcher rolled to a stop, soaking the ground at Madeline's feet. She bent down to pick it up. When she lifted her head, she met a pair of crimson eyes.

Er trug ihr Bild

In seiner Seele (2)

"H-here," she whispered, practically throwing it at him. He blinked, staring first at her, then the water pitcher, then back at her. And then he laughed.

The albino wasn't trying to be rude. Really, he wasn't. Boys just tend to do stupid things in front of cute girls. Madeline would have been offended if it weren't for a cute little yellow bird that distracted her by landing on his head. She pointed at it and laughed.

"Hey, what's so funny?" Chirp. He gasped, "Gilbird!"

"Gilbird?"

"He's named after the awesomeness that is me, Gilbert Awesome Beilschmidt." He said, smirking. "Wanna pet him?"

She nodded, having a natural affinity for animals. He took the bird off of his head and offered him in his cupped hands. She started to reach for the bird when someone grabbed her wrist. And that was when red eyes met green.

"Madeline, we're going." Arthur stated.

"But dad-"

"His type only leads to trouble, poppet. Besides, birds are filthy creatures." Her father ranted, pulling her away.

Dumbfounded, Gilbert watched her retreating figure sadly. The bird chirped.

"You're right, Gilbird. Being alone is awesome!"

Standing the whole time by her headstone, Amelia finally realized what it was like to go unnoticed. She sighed, and disappeared into thin air.

Und niemand wird versteh'n,

Was dann am Meer geschah (3)

A Few Days Later

Madeline stood at the water's edge, overlooking the sea. She could feel the wind rustle through her hair and smell the saltiness of the water, and hear the seagulls cry overhead.

"_Maddie!" Amelia yelled, "Looky at what I found!"_

_Amelia dragged her to what looked like an old rowboat._

"_Let's go out on the ocean! I wanna play pirates!" Madeline yanked her hand away._

"_First of all, it's a sea, not an ocean. Second, that thing looks really old…"_

"_Lame! You've been hanging around dad too long."_

"_Have not. It just looks really unstable… What if it breaks while we're in it!"_

"_We swim to shore," _

"_No."_

"_C'mon, Maddie," She pouted, "where's your sense of fun?"_

"_Amelia! Madeline! Your mother made lunch, so get over here!"_

"_Fine, then." Amelia grumbled._

_But there was no mistaking the determined look in her eyes._

"You're not gonna go kill yourself now, are you?"

Madeline jumped.

"G-Gilbert! God, no, why would you ask that?"

"You were looking all mopey and shit. So I take it you weren't about to go and unawesomely drown yourself?"

She shook her head.

"This is where… my twin died." Gilbert's face fell.

"…shit."

"Shit, indeed."

"Girls shouldn't cuss,"

"Neither should a gentleman." She tossed back. Gilbert grinned, taking a step toward her.

"But what if I'm not a gentleman?"

"…oh? Then what are you?"

He leaned in, almost an inch from her face.

"I'm awesome," He whispered. Madeline could feel the warmth of his breath, and shivered.

He spun around, and started walking in the opposite direction, leaving her feeling dazed and slightly disappointed.

"Kesesesese. See ya around, Birdie!"

She watched him depart, wondering what possessed him to call her "Birdie."

Madeline – mein Herz

Du bist so schön

Die Rosen wollen verblüh'n wenn sie dich sehn (4)

Weeks Later

They always met by the sea to talk about Amelia. She told him stories of when they were younger, and how Amelia always got into trouble for the things Madeline did. Gilbert told stories of how he got in trouble for all of the things he did. His younger brother Ludwig was apparently the golden child.

"… but then she got contacts. Somehow, she still always ended up in trouble."

"I know how that goes. Actually, no I don't. It's me who always ends up in trouble. I don't think Luddy has ever gotten into trouble. Lucky bastard."

"So you're the trouble maker in your family?"

"I wouldn't say that. I like to think the world has it out for me 'cuz I get bored too easily."

"Sure," she said, staring sadly over the crashing waves.

"Say, Birdie?"

"Mmm?" She never could get a good answer for why he chose that nickname, but it stuck.

"If it's okay, can I ask – I mean… how did she die?"

Madeline was quiet for a few minutes, making Gilbert worry that he brought up the topic too soon.

"She wanted to play pirates," She whispered, looking at the water lapping onto the shore.

"Pirates, huh?" He asked, taking her hand in his. Smooth.

"She asked me to go with her in this old rowboat, but it just didn't look safe at all."

Gilbert watched the subtle changes in her voice and facial expressions. He gave her hand a light squeeze.

"Amelia was always such a determined girl."

"So she went by herself?" She nodded. Her eyes were beginning to burn.

"She didn't bother checking the weather – Amelia never planned ahead, so she didn't know about the storm-" Madeline started to cry. He pulled her into his arms, a hand cradling her face, and an arm around her waist.

"Shh, shh, it's fine. Just let it all out. Meanwhile, I'll tell you a story about the awesome me, okay?"

"…okay."

"Do you remember when we first met?"

Madeline laughed.

"You dropped a water pitcher."

"No, I threw it. Awesome people don't drop things."

"…uh huh."

"So anyway, you've probably wondered at some point why I was there at the cemetery that day with a pitcher of water."

"Yeah,"

"Well, I was visiting someone. Bruder and I had planted flowers on his grave after he went."

"What kind?" Gilbert gave a sad smile.

"Cornflowers."

"Who was this person? The one you and your brother planted flowers for."

"He was like a father to me, that old man Fritz."

"Mmm,"

Madeline slipped her arms around his waist, and gave him a hug. Gilbert got an idea. He smiled.

"Hey, Birdie?"

"Yeah?"

"I think you have too many sad memories at this place." They both turned to look out at the sea.

"I suppose so,"

"We should do something about that."

"Like what?"

"Make some happy memories. Drive out the sad ones." Madeline cocked an eyebrow.

"What do you m-" They kissed. She was so surprised, that she lost her footing. He caught her, laughing.

"Overwhelmed by my awesome already," He teased. She turned red, and punched him in the shoulder.

"Ouch! Damn, that hurt." She smiled, innocently. "Cheeky thing. Hey, you wanna hang out again tomorrow? We can go to that one wheat field… do you know which one I'm talking about?"

"The one by the orchard?"

"Yeah, that one. Show up around three. And bring me a picture with you in it. Only you, I don't wanna look at the eyebrow monster."

"Why?" She chuckled at the comment about her father. He did have some crazy eyebrows.

"It's an awesome surprise."

**Translations:**

**1. They were in love / and still only children / eternity was far away and yet so near**

**2. He carried her picture / in his soul**

**3. And nobody would understand / what happened then on the sea**

**4. Madeline (originally Louise in the song, but I changed it to fit the story) – my heart / you are so beautiful / roses want to wither when they see you**

**That should cover everything. Oh, yeah – disclaimers (grumble grumble).**

**Hetalia – no own. Wish I did. Then I would be even more awesome.**

**Louise – owned by Eisblume and the one(s) who wrote it. Go check it out on youtube. Then fill out a venn diagram and write an essay comparing the two… no! Bad school, bad! **

**Thanks for stopping by, and reviews are appreciated. Until next time (whenever that is - lame school is lame). **


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay! Chapter two! I'm glad I managed to find time to write this. Stupid school. I'll have more time after I change out of my art education major. Kids=good, but art=even better than good. Hmm, what should I do now? Painting, drawing, printmaking? Eh, I've got plenty of time to pick something. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.**

Ich und du: Chapter Two

"Where have you been?" Arthur pressed, scowling when Madeline returned home later that day. She purposefully avoided his gaze, studying the material of her shoes instead.

"I w-went to see A-Amelia," she lied, crossing her fingers and toes hoping that her father would buy it.

Arthur's face softened, and he stepped aside, holding the door open for her.

"Just get in,"

"Okay," she slipped inside, hoping he didn't notice her sudden happiness.

Madeline – mein Herz

Du must versteh'n

Nur ohne dich wird unsere Liebe währ'n (1)

Madeline woke up early the next morning to make pancakes. As she stood over the stove, spatula in hand, she felt a pair of arms around her and the weight of a chin on her shoulder. Her mother's perfume wafted over her. Madeline smiled.

"_Bonne matin, maman_ (2)."

"You're making pancakes," she murmured, nuzzling the fabric of her daughter's blue sundress. Madeline laughed.

"Don't I normally make pancakes?"

"Vrai (3), but not since…"

"Amelia."

An awkward silence followed while Francine continued to hold her daughter. The hold grew tighter. Madeline sighed.

"It's been nearly five weeks," she said, flipping a pancake.

"Oui,"

"Why can't either of you say her name?" A few seconds passed as Francine thought about it.

"It's… difficult. Especially for _ton p__é__re_ (4). You know how hard it is for him to deal with emotions."

Francine walked over to the cabinet and pulled out three plates. She placed them on the table, lingering at the empty seat that used to be Amelia's.

"So… do you have plans for today? Anyone to visit?"

"Yeah, I was going to go visit a… friend."

Francine cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh? Anyone I know?"

"Um, well, sort of. You saw him a few weeks ago… at the cemetery." Madeline whispered the last part. Francine grinned.

"Mmm… the cute albino who 'just happened' to drop that pitcher in front of you?"

Madeline bit her lip, slowly turning red.

"Please don't tell dad?"

Francine laughed.

"I won't tell _ton p__é__re. _He believes no one is good enough for you… or that you'll turn into a wanton sex goddess like moi, I can't decide which."

"Maman!"

"So you agree? Alright, my little sex goddess-in-training, let me tell you some useful information from the teacher called 'experiece'."

Madeline couldn't get out of the house fast enough.

* * *

_It was nice to hear her laugh_, Gilbert thought.

The wind rustled through the golden wheat around them. They sat on an old log, just talking, enjoying the weather and each other's company.

"Oh yeah, check this out!" He yelled, fishing something out of his pocket. Curious, Madeline leaned in closer.

"A locket?"

"Pssht, no. Lockets are for girls! This is a … small portable picture frame! Yeah…"

Gilbert opened the locket portable picture frame. There was a picture of an older gentleman with gray hair in a ponytail. The other picture slot was empty.

"Do you have that picture I told you to bring?" She nodded, handing it to him. Gilbert placed it into the empty slot.

"There we go. Both of the people I care about."

"R-really?"

"Of course," he snaked an arm around her waist, "this is my father figure," he said, pointing to the picture of Fritz, "and this is a hot chick that makes me happy." He pointed to her picture. Madeline was still confused.

"I make you happy?" He leaned in, smirking.

"You make me feel other things, too."

Before she could ask what he meant, Gilbert had stolen a kiss. Although, it's not stealing if you let them. Madeline put her hands on his shoulders, loving the soft pressure of his lips on hers.

"Madeline."

They froze at the sound of Arthur's voice. Madeline jumped to her feet, giving Gilbert a look that said, 'I'm sorry'.

"Tsk, cock-block," he said when they were out of earshot. Frustrated, he kicked a pebble on the ground. It skidded, and landed in a puddle with a splash.

Die Zeit verrinnt

Die Blätter fallen

Nacht schwebt heran,

Tag ohne wiederkehr (5)

* * *

"His type is nothing but trouble."

"Not any more trouble than Amelia was," Madeline stubbornly crossed her arms.

"Don't compare your sister to rubbish!" He bellowed. The walls shook – a warning. Madeline held her ground, her eyes shining with a look Arthur recognized from her mother. It was the 'when I snap, I go ape shit' look. She laughed hysterically.

"Of course. How dare I tarnish the name of your precious favorite, the innocent little angel who could do no wrong? Are you going to blame him for her death, too? Even though she was the one so adamant about going into that boat and-"

In an instant she found herself crashing into the wall, her face stinging from where he struck her. His eyes widened in shock and total disbelief that he did that.

"Oh, God. Maddie, I'm so-"

"I knew it," she growled, pulling herself up. She was crying, but her voice was full of venom. "I was right. You loved her more, didn't you?"

She bolted out of the house, not bothering to shut the door behind her. Madeline ran, not caring where she went, as long as it was _away_. She tripped a couple of times, scraping the skin on her legs and tearing her dress, but she didn't stop.

She was afraid of stopping. Afraid that _he_ would find her and drag her back home. _Home,_ she thought bitterly, _that place isn't my home._

Ein Schatten naht

Verdunkelt alle welt

Löscht deine Schritte,

Nimmt dich mit,

Dich fort (6)

Hearing the seagulls, she knew she had ended up at the sea. Scanning the shore, Madeline was surprised to find Gilbert lying down in the sand, letting the tide wash over him. She bridged the gap between them, and sat in the water next to him.

"Birdie?"

He sat up when he heard the crying, and then he took in her ragged appearance, his eyes stopping on the red handprint on her face.

"Birdie, mein Gott…" He touched the swollen side of her face, and she tried not to wince. Gilbert placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, pulling her into a damp embrace. Madeline rubbed her face against his soaked clothes, the cold feeling good against her skin.

"Hey, you know what would feel better than my awesome clothes?"

"What?" She asked, innocently.

He shoved her into the water with a loud splash.

"You ass," she said, dripping. Her teeth were chattering, but she grinned, and splashed him. Gilbert laughed, playfully splashing, but Madeline's revenge wasn't over yet. She pushed him into the silt.

"Gah," he choked, spitting the dirt out of his mouth. Gilbert tried to rinse his mouth out with seawater, but spat it out because of the saltiness. Madeline couldn't stop laughing.

"Payback time!" He cried, tackling her. He pinned her beneath him, rubbing wet sand into her hair. As she struggled beneath him, he got an even better idea for payback. Cradling the back of her head, he brought their lips together.

* * *

Arthur was feeling guilty. No, he was guilty. He hadn't meant to fly off the handle like that. It just… happened. Poor Madeline.

Madeline… was it true that he had played favorites? He would change that. He had to. Amelia would want that. He could almost hear her shouting about being the hero. How Maddie needed a hero.

So he set off to set things right. A gut feeling told him to search by the sea. He followed it, because the fairies insist that you never ignore intuition.

However, the fairies never said intuition would lead to him finding his daughter making out with the albino git, in the water, no less. All thoughts of apologies flew out the window.

"Madeline. Home. NOW." Arthur roughly pulled her from Gilbert's arms.

"No! Gilbert!" She pleaded, reaching for him, desperately trying to break free from her father's grasp. Gilbert stood, only now feeling the coldness of the water soaking his clothes. He had always let Arthur take her away before, but he wanted this time to be different.

"She's not going with you."

"What?" Arthur hissed, his emerald eyes flashing dangerously. Gilbert swallowed.

"She's not going with you. I know you don't like me, but I wouldn't hurt her, _unlike you_. So she's not going. You can't take her from me." _Because I love my Birdie._

Arthur only glared.

"I can, and I will."

**Translations:**

**1. Madeline – my heart / you must understand / only without you would our love fail**

**2. Good morning, mother**

**3. True**

**4. Your father**

**5. Time runs out / the leaves fall / night hangs near / day will not return**

**6. A shadow approaches / darkens all the world / erasing your footsteps / taking you with it / taking you away**

**Disclaimers:**

**Hetalia – I don't own. Only wish.**

**Poem/song – **_**Louise**_** by Eisblume **

**Translations – French: my awesome sister, the Canada of my family **

**German: there are several translations of **_**Louise **_**out there, but I don't agree with a lot of them, so I translate what I can, and fake it from there. Or annoy my parents, 'cuz they know a lot of the annoying verb tenses that I don't.**

**Thanks for reading. Comments are always appreciated. **


	3. Chapter 3

**And so we come to chapter three. Hooray for nice weather and distractions from homework! **

**I feel bad for making Arthur into such a meanie, even if he plays the part naturally. Good thing there's Francine to put him in his place (har har).**

Ich und du: Chapter Three

Arthur threw Madeline into her bedroom, slamming the door and just barely missing her feet. He locked the door, ignoring the pleas and shouts in both French and English. He heard the soft thump of a pillow hitting the wall, and books being knocked off of a bookshelf.

As he turned toward the stairs, he thought he saw something – a blonde girl on the stairs, scowling with her arms crossed in disproval. Could it be?

"Amelia," Arthur whispered. But when he turned, the figure wasn't there. Had she been watching over them this whole time?

A book fell from the bookshelf in the hallway. _No, _he decided, _it was chosen, pulled out, and methodically dropped_. Arthur could see the pages being flipped, and almost read the hesitation as Amelia (he was sure it was her) searched for something. A pen hovered for a few seconds before falling into the spine of the book.

Curious, but hesitant, Arthur crept towards the open book on the floor. He scanned the pages, looking for anything that stood out. There was a small mark right before a passage.

"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done;

it is a far, far, better rest that I go to, than I have ever known."

* * *

When Francine returned home from shopping, she found her husband sitting on the living room couch, muttering to himself about ghosts and Charles Dickens. She shrugged, heading upstairs to check on her daughter. She turned the doorknob to her bedroom, and found it locked.

Francine rolled her eyes. _Arthur must've found out about lover boy_, she sighed, fishing the spare key to the bedroom from her purse.

It was a cycle they used to go through with Amelia – Amelia would do something stupid, Arthur would disprove of the behavior, Amelia would push the limit, and then Arthur would lock the girl in her bedroom until both of them simmered down. _Except Madeline is so naturally calm…._ She turned the key in the lock, and slowly opened the door.

The room that was normally so tidy now looked like a tornado had swept through. Clothes littered the floor, her trashcan had been upturned, and the chair from her desk had been smashed against the floor in several pieces (she was so strong for such a quiet, shy thing). Several rows of books had been thrown against the wall. _Mostly English literature,_ Francine noted.

She carefully tread over the debris in search of her daughter. Spying the mound of blankets on the floor, she delicately poked it with her index finger. The lump moved, and peeking from he covers were a pair bloodshot eyes.

"Madeline?"

"…Maman?"

The girl crept out of the blankets, still dressed in the wet clothes from earlier. The dress was torn in places, and Francine could see the evidence of dried blood. That shocked her, but not as much as the faint outline of a handprint on her daughter's beautiful face.

"Oh, Madeline."

She pulled the girl into her arms, showering her with affectionate words while she stroked her hair.

"Everything will be alright, okay? I'll go…talk to your father, so why don't you go take a bath and go get some fresh clothes?"

"Oui, maman."

Francine gave her a little kiss on the nose, and went back downstairs.

"Arthur," She drew out the vowels so that they were low and menacing. The man tensed at the way she spoke. Only trouble could come from that tone. When he looked up, Arthur instantly regretted the action. Francine was right in his face with an icy glare.

"You struck our child,"

"I-I didn't mean to, please, just let me explain-"

"Non, I will not hear your excuses. Do you want to know why?" She didn't give him the chance to respond.

"There's no reason to hit a child, no matter how much you disagree with their choices!"

"But-"

"Non, no buts. I told you, I don't want to hear it. I was so worried about her, when she started to really withdraw, but recently she's started getting better. She's going back to doing the things she loves to do. Making pancakes. General conversation. She was so happy, and then you bring her down. I know you weren't thinking – you never think when you're angry. Even when you're not angry, it's hard for you to grasp messages from the heart. So you know what?"

She stomped over to the closet, digging through layers of sports equipment (mostly Madeline's) and coats that fell off the hangers above Francine's head. Arthur could only watch silently, too scared to speak or move. She returned a minute later, throwing a spare blanket and pillow at his head.

"You get the couch tonight,"

* * *

Madeline – mein Herz

Wo willst du hin?

Das Wasser Trägt uns jetzt ins Morgenlicht (1)

Gilbert moped on the log in the wheat field, _their_ field, staring sadly at his picture of Madeline.

"She's pretty," Said the brunette with long wavy hair as she peered over his shoulder. He didn't bother looking up.

"Go away, Liz."

"Aww, Gilly's upset." She mock-pouted and sat down next to him. When she saw the troubled look in his eyes, her face softened. Instantly, she came up with several possible scenarios for what happened between her troubled friend and the innocent little blonde in the photo.

"Let's see… she's your girlfriend of four weeks at least. You don't just ask every cute girl for their picture."

"Maybe I do when you're not around!"

"Whatever. You two met in a really strange place, probably because you were being a klutz-"

"Hey!"

"I'm not done yet. So anyway, you were brought together by fate, or something. I find it hard to believe you would get someone like that, considering…"

He pushed her, annoyed. She laughed.

"But on to why you look like you're struggling with or against something. Since she looks so sweet and innocent, she either has a troubled past, a freaky dark side, or something along those lines. Or her family's extra protective of her. Am I anywhere close?"

"Ihr Vater ist ein Arschloch (2)." Elizaveta placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You're supposed to feel that way. You're the bad boy who didn't have a purpose in life until you found a reason to live, you're inspiration-"

"Seriously, Lizzy, what the hell?"

"Okay, okay. The last one was a bit cliché, but nothing else fit your character-"

"Except being awesome," She rolled her eyes.

"Of course. So anyway, how close was I?"

"Not far off," Gilbert admitted. He explained everything that had happened. Elizaveta gasped.

"That poor girl,"

He nodded, and they sat quietly for a few minutes. Gilbert turned to look at her with pleading eyes.

"I need to do something totally unawesome, and if you tell anyone, you die. Slowly and painfully."

"Psssh, whatever. I won't tell anyone the 'awesome' Gilbert needs a hug and a good girly cry."

"Damn straight you won't," he said, resting his head on her shoulder. Just then, Elizaveta though she saw someone very familiar run by. A girl with blonde pigtails…

"Uh oh,"

"What?"

"She saw us. Your girlfriend."

"Shit."

This was bad. He jumped up and ran after her. Madeline was the type that was overly sensitive, and thought way too little of herself. It wouldn't take much for her to jump to conclusions, no matter how impossible they were.

That first day they met, she denied that she was going to kill herself, but that doesn't mean anything. For all Gilbert knew, he was the only thing that kept her from going all the way. If she thought he moved on….

Gilbert had to hurry. He needed to give her the reassurance that he would be there for her, that he loved her.

* * *

Madeline wasn't sure what to think. She saw them talking, but couldn't hear them. And then suddenly they grew close. Actions speak louder than words, right?

Actions. She saw all of the times she and Gilbert were together running on a continuous loop in her head, but it made her feel sick and used. Like she wasn't good enough.

She heard the seagulls calling in the distance. Madeline used to think their calls were sad, but something changed. It was like they were calling her.

On the far side of the shore, near the trees, was a small cave. Her parents had always assumed that the rowboat had smashed up in the storm, but Madeline knew they were wrong. Where was the wreckage?

It turns out it had found its way into the tiny cave. It was so Amelia, to have a boat in a cave. Throw in a flashlight, and you have an instant adventure.

She pulled the rowboat to the shoreline, and checked the inside of the boat. The objects she had placed in it weeks ago were still there, before Gilbert distracted her. Madeline shook her head, and pushed the boat into the water. When the water went up to her knees, she pulled herself into the rowboat. Taking the oars, she rowed out as far as she could.

Stopping at a location she felt would suffice, she dropped the oars, and tied one end of a rope around her waist. She tied the other around a large rock. Madeline studied the shoreline. She had never seen it from this angle. Realizing this would be the first and last time, she gave a sad little smile.

Madeline – so kalt

Und es wird still

Umsorgt von der Unendlichkeit des Augenblicks

Er ist da

Er ist da… (3)

**Translations:**

**1. Madeline – my heart/where will you go?/the water carries us now in the morning light**

**2. Her father is an asshole**

**3. Madeline – so cold/and becoming still/cared for never-ending moments/it is here/it is here…**

**Disclaimers:**

**1 Hetalia – no own. I'm so cheap, I don't even have the DVDs.**

**2. **_**Louise**_** is performed by Eisblume. I don't own the song, the music video, or anything like that. **

**All I own is my idea of what should have happened in that music video. Hence the birth of this story.**

**Amelia using **_**A Tale of Two Cities**_**. Dude, I know. Shocking, huh? Then again, sometimes the people that act stupid are just pretending, and are in reality very smart. Oh well. Thanks for reading. Reviews are always appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yes, I know. Madeline really jumped the gun on this one. In my head, she's just the kind of person who's easily overwhelmed. When she's overwhelmed, the brain doesn't exactly think things through. Same with Arthur, although his is more like 'get angry – don't think' instead of 'panic – don't think'. Ah, genetics. On to chapter four.**

Ich und du: Chapter Four

Madeline – mein Herz

Vergib mir nicht

Die Welt hält an,

Will sich nicht weiter dreh'n (1)

Arthur had a fitful sleep. The couch was very lumpy, and the blanket scratched at his skin. And deep down, he knew he deserved it. Francine was right (and she always was). There was absolutely no excuse for his behavior.

But when he woke up the following morning, he had a very bad feeling. When he tried to ask the fairies about it, they just gave him the cold shoulder. They were probably still mad at him for what happened with Madeline (they had a soft spot for the child, even if she couldn't see them).

So he stood silently outside the bedroom he (usually) shared with his wife, took a deep breath, and opened the door. Arthur found her in the bathroom, doing her hair.

"What do you want?" She snapped, pausing mid-stroke with the hairbrush to glare at him through the mirror. He gulped.

"Do you know where Madeline is?"

"She went to make a confession of l'amour. _Pourquois_?" (2) His mouth suddenly felt very dry.

"It's just… I have a really bad feeling."

She put down the hairbrush.

"You mean, like before?" _With Amelia?_ He nodded.

"_Mon Dieu_ (3)."

* * *

Madeline – und doch

Die Schuld trifft dich

Ich ließ dich gehen,

Aber du verlässt mich nicht (4)

_Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT!_ Gilbert tripped over a very unawesome tree root for the eight millionth time. Frustrated, he ripped his shoes off and continued running. _There's no fucking way it can end like this! _

Madeline watched the waves course beneath her. She was aware of the slight rocking of the rowboat, the heaviness of the rock, and even the cinching of the rope around her waist.

_Are you sure about this?_ Said a tiny voice in the back of her mind. Fresh tears fell when she realized she had absolutely no idea. Maybe if she could put the rock down somewhere, she could have some time to think? She silently thanked whoever the calm voice belonged to guiding her.

The problem was the rock was too heavy. Even when she stood with her legs shoulder-width apart, the weight distribution was still way off. She had to be really careful, or the thing would spring a leak in the boat or she would lose her balance and fall out. Easy does it….

"Birdie!"

_Shit _was the only thing going through her head when the rock hit the bottom of the boat with a loud _crack_. The water came pouring in as she felt herself being pulled toward the hole in the bottom of the boat. She turned to look toward the shore, trying to stay upright for as long as she could.

"Gilbert, help! I don't want to die!" She grabbed onto the side of the boat, clutching tightly. The water was already up to her ankles.

Gilbert jumped into the water and swam as fast as he could. Twenty yards away – the water was up to her knees. Ten yards away – it was to her waist. Five – she was clawing at the surface of the water. He tried to unknot the rope first, and had to break the surface twice for air before he pulled his switchblade out.

By now they both were several feet under the water. He hurriedly hacked at the ropes, trying not to get distracted by the bubbles spilling from Madeline's mouth. When she was finally released, her body began to float upward, not unlike a dead goldfish.

_Stop that, _he thought. Gilbert cradled her in his arms, and kicked as hard as he could with his feet to the surface again. His lungs, arms, and legs were burning, but he ignored it. All that mattered was getting the heck out of there.

He snapped his head out of the water, gratefully taking in the cold air that assaulted his throat as he breathed. Arranging her so she was on his back, he started kicking with his feet towards the shore.

Elizaveta watched as he laid the girl's body in the sand, a hand clasped over her mouth in shock. Their eyes met, and she spoke.

"Is she…?" Her voice broke as he checked for Madeline's pulse.

"It's faint, but there's something there."

He interlocked his fingers, put his hands to her chest, and started CPR. Gilbert watched her face the whole time, hoping, pleading for her to start moving. Elizaveta pulled the girl's hair out of her face. She was very cold, and her skin was slowly turning blue. As if reading her thoughts, Gilbert quickened the pace.

"Madeline!"

"Oh God, please no."

He felt them crowd around, but he blocked them out, focusing on what he was doing. After another minute, he paused to check her pulse again. His eyes widened.

"Nein!"

Stubbornly, he started again, but with an erratic rhythm.

"You're not gonna die. You're not gonna die. Gott, Maddie, don't go! We need you! I need you! Please…."

He threw his head in his hands. Arthur leaned forward to feel her pulse. Frowning, he looked at his daughter's face, his eyes burning.

"She's gone."

Wellen über mir

Griefen nach uns voller Gier

Kein Wort, kein Weg bringt dich zurück (5)

* * *

**Translations:**

**1. Madeline – my heart/forgive me not/the world keeps moving/not willing itself to further turn**

**2. Why?**

**3. My God**

**4. Madeline – and though/the fault is yours/I let you go/but you won't leave me**

**5. Waves over me/seize after us full of greed/no word, no way to bring you back**

**Disclaimers:**

**Hetalia: yup, I still don't own it.**

**Louise: a song by the group Eisblume. They also have a music video, which annoyed me because the guy didn't try CPR after he pulled the girl out of the water. **

**Thanks for reading. And yes, there is going to be a chapter after this one. Reviews are always appreciated. **


	5. Chapter 5

**And now we have the ending. It's time for Amelia's view on this. Can't forget about the hero, now can we?**

Ich und du: Chapter Five

She felt weightless, and oddly, very comfortable. Slowly, Madeline became aware of her surroundings.

She could see everyone crowding around her body. With a vague curiosity, she watched, detached like an outsider, as Gilbert gave her motionless body CPR. Francine was leaning into Arthur, crying, while Arthur was pretending that he wasn't about to cry. It was strange, to see her own body in this way. She wasn't exactly sure what to think, so she chose not to.

No matter what decision she came to, Madeline would soon be distracted by a tunnel opening up before her. Unlike the rumors, it wasn't above her in the sky. No, it was close to her, an obtainable personal gateway of sorts. The steady, bright light at the end showered her with such warmth that she didn't even notice when she started moving forward.

At the end of the tunnel was someone who looked really, really familiar.

"Amelia?"

"Maddie!"

She hadn't seen her sister in so long… she could swear she felt tears welling up. It was nice to know that they'd be together again.

And then Amelia pushed her.

"What was that for?" Madeline asked. Amelia crossed her arms, acting serious.

"Stupid, what the hell are you doing? This ain't your time."

"What do you mean, not my time?"

"_Nein!" _Gilbert shouted, but from where they were, it was more like a whisper. Amelia grabbed her sister by the shoulders.

"Everything happens for a reason, Maddie. I've learned that in heaven. I didn't wanna die that day, but I did. It was my time, but it ain't yours."

"Really?"

"Yup. That's why I'm here – to send you back. 'Cuz I'm the hero!"

"_You're not gonna die. You're not gonna die. Gott, Maddie, don't leave! We need you! I need you! Please!"_

"See?" Amelia asked, "He's calling you. You're still needed in the world. Now go! Shoo!"

"But I want to stay with you!" Amelia smiled.

"Don't worry, Maddie. We'll see each other soon."

But before she could ask just how long "soon" was, Madeline felt a quick tug as she slammed into her body. It was kind of like getting hit with a freight train. Instantly all of her aches and pains returned. And since she'd been separated from her body for so long, she was even more sensitive to pain than normal.

She took in a small, ragged breath. Her lungs and throat felt like they were on fire. Everyone heard the noise, and gave a collective gasp.

"Madeline!"

"Birdie!" Gilbert pulled her into a hug. She mumbled something into his shirt.

"Oops. Momentary lack of awesomeness. What was that?"

"You called me back,"

They all stared at her, confused.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked.

"I saw Amelia, in the tunnel. She said it wasn't my time, and then Gil call-"

She stopped to watch as a fairy flew past and landed on Arthur's shoulder. He casually tilted his head so the tiny creature could whisper into his ear, not noticing her staring or the fact that she had stopped talking. Wide eyed, she strained to hear it speak.

"Birdie, what's wrong?"

"Shh,"

"_She's had a near death experience, Arthur." _The fairy whispered.

"Really?"

"She's right, dad." Arthur jumped.

"You can hear her? See her?"

Madeline nodded. Arthur was ecstatic. Gilbert and Elizaveta were confused. Francine sighed. Her family just got one member weirder.

* * *

One Year Later

Madeline walked the shoreline with Gilbert hand in hand, not as afraid as the water as she once was. Albeit, she wouldn't go swimming just yet, but that was fine with Gilbert. He wasn't exactly thrilled about swimming either.

"...By the way, we've been invited to Lizzy's wedding." Gilbert chuckled.

"What's so funny about that?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm just surprised Roddy's not going to be the one in the dress."

"Gil..."

"What?"

"Be nice."

"... But I'm always nice! I'm so awesomely nice-" He rambled.

A lot had changed in a year. It was nice to have something in common with her father ('it's part of the plan,' Amelia claimed). Madeline finally got to meet the creatures that Arthur talked so fondly of. Many of them had even become friends with her (the unicorns were a slow work-in-progress, but then, they were very temperamental).

Another thing that brought them together was ghosts. As it turned out, Madeline was better at actually seeing the ghosts than Arthur. Not that this was a horrible disadvantage, since Arthur was good at sensing when they were around. It was a game for them to figure out who each visitor was. Arthur would sense the spirit, and Madeline would look for it. She would describe it, and his face would light up in recognition as he remembered his grandparents, aunts, cousins, etc. Their favorite visitor was of course, Amelia.

Madeline paused to look into the trees behind them. Gilbert, not realizing she'd stopped, pulled her forward with a sudden jerk.

"Whoops. Sorry about that. Did you see something?"

He didn't fully understand this paranormal world his girlfriend was a part of, but he accepted it. Especially when she described his old man Fritz a few weeks ago when he stopped to visit.

"Yup,"

She smiled at the little girl hiding in the trees. She waved to the girl, who slowly peeked out from behind a tree. _It's okay,_ she spoke in her head like Arthur had taught her, _go ahead, go to the light. There's lots of nice people, and others to play with._

The girl looked hesitant, but nodded, and then Madeline saw that familiar bright light, feeling the joy of the girl as she found her way to her new home.

"Birdie?"

He wiped the tears that had fallen without her knowing. Souls crossing over always made her feel that way. She smiled at him.

"I'm alright, Gil."

She took his hand again, and gave a light squeeze. He smiled, and they continued on their path.

"I love you," Gilbert whispered. Madeline smiled.

"You'd better, and I love you, too." Gilbert laughed. He knew she was feeling better when she turned sarcastic.

It was okay that she couldn't be where Amelia was. One day, they would be together again, but for now, she was right where she belonged.

Madeline – mein Herz

Jetzt komm sur Ruh

Mit meinen Tränen decken wir uns zu

Ich und du

Ich und du…. (1)

**Translations:**

**1. Madeline – my heart/now come to rest/with my tears covering both of us/me and you/me and you**

**Disclaimers:**

**Hetalia – I didn't own you for the last four chapters, okay? Doesn't this carry over?**

**Louise – an awesome song by an awesome group (Eisblume) who made an awesome music video. I love Louise's hair (the blonde with the braids).**

**Yeah, I know. It's technically not a tragedy anymore, since I brought her back. I can't help it, though. I don't like it when a character dies with a lot of unresolved problems. How can they get fixed if you're dead? So Madeline came back to bring her family together (and make Gil a very happy man). **

**Remember kids, Gilbert thinks reviews are awesome. Today's show brought to you by the sound 'piyo!'**


End file.
